Arona,
      It is wrong for the imam to generalize Toubab.
What about muslim Toubabs? The Qura'n did not say that
a  muslim woman should not marry to a Toubab. It says,
that a muslim woman should not marry to a non-muslim.
The teachings of islam also allow muslim man to marry
non-muslim woman. If the imam does have anything to
preach on, he should shut-up.
Bye.
      Muktarr.













--- arona john <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Yusupha,
>        Your posting is quite interesting.You are
> entirely right to said that
> religion is a sensitive issue with Gambians .But
> I,however, beg  to disagree
>   with you to describe Imam Fatty as a
> Fundamentalist for reminding Gambians
> to be true Muslims.Well,the Imam's statement against
> our women marrying
> Toubabs and birth control in particular  are in line
> with Islamic
> teachings.The situation in The Gambia is such that
> sometimes  people give
> away their daughters to none muslims for
> marriage.This is not totally in
> parallel with the Shariah.Islam does,however,allows
> a Muslim man to marry a
> none muslim woman with the hope that the husbandmay
> one day bring her to
> Islam.Marrying other people of different races and
> tribes is also encouraged
> by Islam.
>        Yes,Islam does allowed birth control but not
> as it is done by some
> quarters today.The very fact that Islam encourages
> us to allow about two
> years for our wives to breastfeed the new born
> before touching them again
> implies that birth control is allowed in
> Islam.Well,I think there is no harm
> for a man to use condom when touching his wife to
> allow birth control but
> the catch is when these condoms are been given to
> young youth who are yet to
> marry it leads to neagative effects in our
> society.Our present society
> clearly illustrates this,though it is hard to
> say.Imam Fatty is among the
> true Islamic scholars we have in the Gambia.It is
> just unfortunate that he
> is the State House Imam.Why this is so is because
> some people might say his
> sermons are politically linked.
>      This is my stand with regards to Imam Fatty's
> sermons.There are always
> two sides to everything.Let the debates surfaces.
>
>          ALLAHUMA SALI WASALIM ALA NABIYYINA
> MUHUMMAD.WASALAM
>
> ARONA
>
>
> >From: Yusupha Jow <[log in to unmask]>
> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing
> list
> ><[log in to unmask]>
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: Re: Imam Fatty speaks again
> >Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 15:59:29 EST
> >
> >I know that religion is a sensitive topic with
> Gambians, but the fact that
> >the Imam is using the state house as a pulpit for
> his fiery religious
> >sermons
> >is a bit disturbing.  In any country there has to
> be a fundamental
> >separation
> >between religion and state.  My interpretation of
> the situation is that,
> >the
> >president, realizing the weakness and reverence
> that our people have for
> >Islam, is using the Imam and Islam as a way to
> pacify our people and to
> >justify his position.  This confuses the masses
> because, to them, being
> >critical of the regime might be akin to criticizing
> the religion that 90%
> >of
> >our people follow.  This makes it very difficult
> for the present regime to
> >be
> >removed by any fair electoral process.
> >
> >Furthermore, over the years, there have been many
> scholars of Islam that
> >have
> >interpreted some parts of the Quran in  more
> liberal ways.  The Imam, in my
> >opinion, contrary to some of the scholars of the
> religion,' is a rigid
> >fundamentalist.  This evidenced by his statements
> against Toubabs and birth
> >control.  He has also said that boys and girls
> should be kept apart in
> >school
> >buses and classrooms.  In fact, I read somewhere
> that Islam is pro-birth
> >control within the confines of marriage.
> Similarly, there is  no
> >justification for his statements that we should not
> marry people from
> >different religions or cultures.  There is no basis
> for some of the
> >statements he has made.
> >
> >In conclusion, my opinion is that the Imam is
> walking a very thin line at
> >this point.  His fundamentalist religious rhetoric
> makes him very dangerous
> >because fundamentalists that are involved in
> politics are bad for any
> >country.  In addition, him being used for political
> means by the present
> >regime is not the Islamic way.  It is imperative
> that our people are given
> >the freedom to express religion freely so that they
> can distinguish between
> >religion and state.
> >
> >Yus
> >
>
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